Letters to the Editor: Make the obese pay for their own treatment

Last week we revealed a huge rise in obesity-related surgeryGARETH FULLER/PA

The Royal College of Physicians says obesity must be recognised as a disease rather than a lifestyle choice (“‘Horrific’ rise in obesity surgery threatens NHS”, News, last week). This flies in the face of the evidence. How does the college explain the absence of this alleged disease in populations suffering food shortages?

If obesity is a disease, we must find a cure. One might be to make patients with a body mass index above a certain level pay towards their obesity-related NHS treatment, instead of the rest of the population doing so.Ardon Lyon, London NW3

Joint responsibilityYour report on the sixfold rise in joint operations on obese patients tacitly assumes that an indolent lifestyle and overindulgence have caused obesity, which has then created hip…

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